West Bar Street, Banbury, OX16

A stunning Victorian townhouse with five bedrooms and three receptions, recently the subject of renovation to a level of detail rarely seen, offering over 2,600 sq feet of elegant living space. Lengthy garden, ample parking, just a few hundred metres from The Cross. If you are looking for a high quality family house within the town, this is the one.

Banbury is a 1,500 year old market town situated 21 miles above Oxford. It stands on the junction of two ancient roads and it is famous for its Cross, although there were originally three crosses, which were all destroyed in 1600. The cross that stands today is less than 200m away from the house and was built in 1859 to commemorate the marriage of Queen Victoria's eldest daughter. Originally a centrally located town for the exchanging of ale, wool and cheese, it is also famous for its Banbury Cakes which are still made today. The town now offers a vibrant and growing community based around great travel links, and a comprehensive range of amenities. Well-known independent schools are within easy reach, including the coeducational preparatory school St John's Priory. The house is just over three miles from Bloxham School and two miles from Tudor Hall. Banbury also has some well-regarded state schools. Commuting to London is also surprisingly easy with about an hours train journey and trains around every half an hour.

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With some remaining narrow cobbled streets, a church built in 1797 and a market square still in use twice a week, Banbury retains a wealth of historic features and West Bar is no exception. Built c. 1870, as one of the executive homes of its day, 'Pevsner's Oxfordshire' called the terrace of houses a most important Later Victorian development which was destined to be occupied by one of the wealthy middle classes of Victorian England. This beautiful Gothic building, listed on a map from 1880 as 'Clarence House', retains many of its period features and presents a grand and proud facade. The labour of love that the house has benefitted from has to be seen to be believed. Our client refused to use anything but lime plaster as it's the original and correct material for the house, carefully matched the correct cornicing, introduced new windows with the correct sashes; carried out an entire rewire and re-plumb of all four floors and also recently repointed the entire house. And that's a very slim guide. This house is the outcome of what can happen when you consummately marry together modern living and period design, keeping the best of both.

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As you enter through the substantial front door, you are greeted by a light, airy and large hallway. Not many hallways exude space and style, but this one does! Slender balustrades and spindles provide a framework that is elegant and continues across all floors. First, head downstairs to the ground floor as this is where we imagine most families will spend their time. There is handy access from this level to both the front and the rear of the property. The first door heads into a spacious reception room that offers an answer to every need, with windows overlooking the front garden pulling in great light Playroom? Informal lounge? Study? Plenty of choice. At the rear of the hall, the kitchen/diner is absolutely stunning. Fully fitted with the top of the range from Bulthaup, this kitchen has every required mod con and more, including a teppanyaki hot plate, induction hob and steam oven. Most appliances are Gaggenau, the best of the best, and even the dishwasher is Miele. Split into two by the lengthy peninsula, the room works exceptionally well, with an obvious (and large) kitchen space from which the chef can speak to those at the breakfast table. It really is the ideal family kitchen.

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So, back to the first floor and you'll find a stylish and well packaged WC by the back door to the garden. Then there is a living room to the front of the property and a dining room to the rear. Both rooms are large and bright due to the beautiful sash windows letting in all the light, even on a cloudy day. If you need more, the subtly placed spot lights do not intrude into the period feel of the rooms which retain the stunning, original fireplaces. And both these rooms benefit from those lovely, high ceilings with intricate cornicing so typical of the more grand Victorian houses.Climbing the wide stairs again takes you up to the second floor of the property. Two large bedrooms, a WC and family bathroom greet you on this level. The master bedroom is huge! Overlooking the front of the property it offers an enormous amount of space and the rear bedroom is also a good sized double. The sash windows and fireplaces continue on this level, ensuring period continuity through the house. And the family bathroom again contains high quality fixtures and fittings.

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Another gentle climb reaches the third floor, offering a smart and high-spec wet room, two large double bedrooms and smaller double bedroom. All bedrooms are, relative to most more modern properties, exceptional sizes. To give that sentence scale, at over 11 foot square, the smallest of these bedrooms is larger than many master bedrooms in a modern house! Combine this with the character afforded by eaves and sashes, and these are yet more attractive and practical spaces.

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Outside, the space can be designed as you wish. Access leads out from the back door of the kitchen up steps, to a lovely decked area (soon to be child-proofed) closest to the house. The garden area is private and especially long, offering great scope to do any number of things here. There is potential for a lengthy lawn, flower beds and borders to be put in which would give a beautiful outlook from the back rooms of the property. The ample space also means it should be straightforward to put up a garage or home office (subject to checking for necessary consents). The current owners have replaced the fencing and installed gates off the lane at the back of the garden which allows you to have a generous amount of off street parking as well as complete privacy from the lane. NB the old driving test centre next door has now had planning granted to be turned into residential, by all accounts some very swish apartments for professionals. This will involve raising of the roof of the adjoining building from 1 storey to 2.5 storeys - their top roof line will be below our top floor windows. We have plans if you wish to see them, or visit www.cherwell.gov.uk and lick view planning application then input 16/00037/f. Suffice to say the design is delightful and firmly in keeping.